The Meaning of Isaiah 13:20 Explained

Isaiah 13:20

KJV: It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

YLT: She doth not sit for ever, Nor continueth unto many generations, Nor doth Arab pitch tent there, And shepherds lie not down there.

Darby: It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in, even to generation and generation; nor shall Arabian pitch tent there, nor shepherds make fold there.

ASV: It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

It shall never  be inhabited,  neither shall it be dwelt  in from generation  to generation:  neither shall the Arabian  pitch tent  there; neither shall the shepherds  make their fold  there. 

What does Isaiah 13:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 13

1  God musters the armies of his wrath
6  He threatens to destroy Babylon by the Medes
19  The desolation of Babylon

What do the individual words in Isaiah 13:20 mean?

Never it will be inhabited it shall never nor will it be settled from generation to and generation nor will pitch tents there the Arabian and the shepherds nor will make their sheepfolds there
לֹֽא־ תֵשֵׁ֣ב לָנֶ֔צַח וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁכֹּ֖ן עַד־ דּ֣וֹר וָד֑וֹר וְלֹֽא־ יַהֵ֥ל שָׁם֙ עֲרָבִ֔י וְרֹעִ֖ים לֹא־ יַרְבִּ֥צוּ שָֽׁם

לֹֽא־  Never 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תֵשֵׁ֣ב  it  will  be  inhabited 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
לָנֶ֔צַח  it  shall  never 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵצַח  
Sense: eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִשְׁכֹּ֖ן  will  it  be  settled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
דּ֣וֹר  generation  to 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
וָד֑וֹר  and  generation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַהֵ֥ל  will  pitch  tents 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָהַל  
Sense: to pitch a tent, to move a tent.
עֲרָבִ֔י  the  Arabian 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַרְבִי 
Sense: an inhabitant of Arabia.
וְרֹעִ֖ים  and  the  shepherds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
לֹא־  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַרְבִּ֥צוּ  will  make  their  sheepfolds 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָבַץ  
Sense: to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out.